BDS Dental Surgery entry requirements

Full entry requirements for BDS Dental Surgery

In order to meet the academic requirements for this programme, you must have one of the following combinations of qualifications:
  • GCSE, A Levels and UCAT
  • GAMSAT
  • A Levels and stage 1 of either Biomedical Science or Human Biosciences with the University of Plymouth. Degree study at other institutions is not considered.
  • A degree programme through the University of Plymouth School of Biomedical Sciences. Degree study at other institutions is not considered
Full details on the subject and grade requirements for these qualifications can be found below.
None of the typical offers listed below are necessarily the threshold for interview selection. Other factors including the number of applications received and performance in the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) influence the threshold for interview selection.
Please note – We are unable to consider applications from students who have academically failed a previous dental degree or incurred Fitness to Practise (FtP) proceedings. If you apply and indicate you have previously enrolled onto a dental degree elsewhere, the School will contact your former institution for confirmation of any academic failure or FtP.

GCSE
Applicants need to achieve 7 GCSE passes (grade C/grade 4 or higher) which must include the following subjects:
  • English Language
  • Mathematics
  • Two Science subjects - either GCSE Double Award Science or two from single award Chemistry, Biology, or Physics
We are unable to consider functional skills in lieu of GCSEs.

A Level
The typical offer is A*AA – AAB at GCE A level which must include the following:
  • Grade A in Biology
  • Grade A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology
  • Your third GCE A level can be from any subject area and does not need to be science based. When shortlisting for interview we do not give preference to those who complete three Science A Levels. General Studies is not accepted
For AAB offers please refer to the Widening Access section.
We are only able to consider A Levels completed within five years of the start of the application cycle. For example, qualifications completed since 2016 would still be valid when applying in September 2021.
If your A Levels outdate this, please refer to the GAMSAT section below.

Widening Access
For applicants from widening access backgrounds, we will accept AAB at GCE A Level, which must include the following:
  • Grade A in Biology
  • Grade A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology
  • Your third A level can be from any subject area and does not need to be science based. When shortlisting for interview we do not give preference to those who complete three science A Levels. General Studies is not accepted
  • UCAT and GCSE requirements remain the same for all applicants
For students sitting the IB, the widening access offer would equate to 35 points overall with Higher Level 6 in Biology and Higher Level 6 in another science.
The resit policy for Widening Participation students is ABC.
Applicants with AAB must meet a minimum of three from the following widening access indicators:
  • POLAR4
Living in a low participation neighbourhood as determined by your postcode (POLAR4 quintiles 1 and 2).
  • Indices of Mass Deprivation
Living in an area categorised as being in Indices of Mass Deprivation (IMD) 1–4 or 20% most deprived as determined by your English postcode, Northern Ireland postcode, Scottish postcode, and Welsh postcode.
  • School type
Receiving schooling that is not paid for, for example by attending or having attended a state school, or attending or having attended an independent school that is fully funded by a scholarship whilst completing your relevant Level 3 qualifications. Receipt of scholarships must be evidenced by a school letter submitted at the point of application to meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.
  • School performance
Attended a low performing school/college whilst completing your level 3 qualifications e.g. 16-18 performance in the ‘below’ or ‘well below average’ classification.
If you attend a secondary school or college in England, please visit the Compare School and College Performance gov.uk website.
If you attend a secondary school or college in Wales, please visit My Local School website.
If you attend a secondary school or college in Northern Ireland, please visit the Schools Plus, Department of Education website.
If you attend a secondary school or college in Scotland, please visit the School information dashboard, Education Scotland website.
  • UCAT
Bursary entitlement to be evidenced by an official award letter or a school letter submitted at the point of UCAS application to the student portal (link to portal automatically sent when a UCAS application is received).
  • EMA or 16–19 bursary
Bursary entitlement to be evidenced by an official award letter or a school letter submitted at the point of UCAS application to the student portal (link to portal automatically sent when a UCAS application is received).
  • Free school meals
Being in receipt of free school meals whilst completing your level 3 qualifications – evidenced by school letter submitted by applicant at the point of application to the student portal (link to portal automatically sent when a UCAS application is received).
  • In care/care leaver/kinship care
Being in care or a care leaver – evidenced by school letter submitted by applicant at the point of application to the student portal (link to portal automatically sent when a UCAS application is received).
  • Refugee/Asylum seeker
Evidenced by official documentation/Home Office letter submitted by applicant at the point of application to the student portal (link to portal automatically sent when a UCAS application is received).
  • Peninsula Pathways
Significant engagement in our Peninsula Pathways programme.
Significant engagement includes completion of the five-day summer Work Experience Programme, being a member of the e-Mentoring scheme and attended a minimum of three of the various Peninsula Pathways workshops by the end of Year 12.
The University of Plymouth is committed to Widening Access and ensuring that all students with the potential to succeed, regardless of their background, are able to apply with us. The additional information gained through contextual data enables our Admissions Advisory Panel to recognise a student’s achievements and identify their potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience.

A Level Alternative Qualifications
The following qualifications can be considered in place of A Levels, alongside the standard GCSE and UCAT requirement.
We are only able to consider qualifications completed within five years of the start of the application cycle. For example, qualifications completed since 2016 would still be valid when applying in September 2021.
If your qualifications outdate this, please refer to the GAMSAT section below.
International Baccalaureate
36–38 points overall to include the following:
  • Higher Level 6 in Biology
  • Higher Level 6 in one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology
Scottish Advanced Highers
AAA to include the following:
  • Grade A in Biology
  • Grade A in one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology.
We are unable to consider Scottish Highers for entry onto this course.
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge
The Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge can be considered in place of a third A Level alongside Biology and a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology.
Irish Leaving Certificate
H1, H1, H2, H2, H2, H2 to include Biology and one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology
Cambridge Pre-U Diploma
D3, D3, D3 including Biology and one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology.
For widening access applicants, we will consider M2 in place of grade B at A Level.
Other UK qualifications
We do not consider any UK Level 3 qualifications for this course that are not listed above. If you do not have any of the above qualifications, please refer to the GAMSAT section below.
Qualifications completed outside of the UK
We welcome applicants with qualifications from outside of the UK and assess comparability to UK qualifications using Ecctis.
In order to check the academic suitability of your qualification, please contact the Admissions Team on meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

UCAT
As part of our commitment to a fair and transparent admissions process, Peninsula Dental School uses the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in order to make informed choices from amongst the many highly qualified applicants who apply for a place on the BDS programme. UCAT test results will be used alongside A Levels and GCSEs to select for interview. The Admissions Advisory Panel reserve the right to consider all aspects of the UCAT when shortlisting for interview.
The UCAT is valid for 12 months and must be sat in the year of application.
The UCAT threshold score applied to determine candidate selection for interview can alter each year and is influenced by overall candidate performance in the UCAT and the number and quality of applications received. Listed below are the thresholds for selection applied for entry in the academic years 2018-2024; prospective applicants may wish to use this to help determine their chances of selection. Unfortunately, we will not be able to confirm the cut off for the coming academic year until all applications have been received and assessed.
Year of entry: Overall
2018 entry cut-off: Home: 2230
2019 entry cut-off: Home: 2190
2020 entry cut-off: Home: 2280
2021 entry cut-off: Home: 2290
2022 entry cut-off: Home: 2510
2023 entry cut-off: Home: 2650 International: 2570
2024 entry cut-off: Home: 2610 International: 2630
If you have sat the UCATSEN please be aware that you will need to provide standard evidence of your entitlement to this additional time by submitting the following:
  • If you are still in education, an official letter from your school, college, University that states that on the basis of a diagnosis from a qualified medical practitioner, educational psychologist or specialist teacher the candidate is currently entitled to additional time in public examinations (or have had additional time in public examinations within the last 2 years);
Or
  • If you are no longer in education, a post-16 year’s diagnosis or report from a qualified medical practitioner or educational psychologist that explicitly recommends additional time in public examinations.

International applicants
Peninsula Dental School welcomes and encourages applications from suitably qualified international students who are either self-funded, supported by scholarships from their respective governments, or sponsored by scholarship programmes operated by the British Council and similar funding bodies.
If you are an international applicant, you need to meet the equivalent admissions criteria described for home students, including the UCAT. Applicants applying with overseas qualifications should contact the Admissions Team at meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.ukprior to submitting an application through UCAS.
In addition, international applicants need to be fully proficient in the English language. If English is your first language, we will accept your home country’s equivalent of a GCSE grade A/8 in English Language providing it is at Level C1 or above according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Students whose first language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by achieving one of the following qualifications:
  • IELTS band 7.5 or above with at least 7.0 in each of the Speaking and Listening sections (taken within 12 months of entry). The University will no longer accept the IELTS indicator (online test). All applicants will have to take the IELTS test at an approved centre.
  • lGCSE or GCSE English Language (as a first language) grade A / 7. A supplementary statement confirming inclusion of the Speaking and Listening components will be required for IGCSE 0500 / 0990.
  • IB score of 6 at the ordinary level in English Language (as a first language).
We know that university life is a challenge for any student but especially when you're a long way from home. We pride ourselves on being friendly and supportive and we have a nominated academic tutor to coordinate the induction and academic support provided to international students. We also offer international student advice and can assist you with any non-academic issues affecting international students. There are also student welfare support and counselling services, wardens and student health centres on hand if you need them.
Student visas
If you have an offer of a place at the Faculty of Health you will need to apply for a Student visa (formerly Tier 4 General Student category) unless you have an alternate visa which allows study or a suitable UK passport. Further information is available on the UK Border Agency's website.

Re-sit applicants
Re-sit applicants are considered for this course, with the following requirements:
  • If you are applying with predicted grades, a minimum of ABB must be achieved on first sitting of A Level
  • Where ABB is not achieved on first sitting, applicants must re-sit the required qualifications and apply once suitable grades have been achieved
  • A Level or accepted equivalent qualifications must be completed in no more than 3 years of study, unless otherwise advised
  • A suitable qualification profile must be achieved on first re-sit attempt
We do not have an AS Level resit policy, however, full A Levels must be completed within the above timeframe.
IB resit policy: A minimum of 34 points overall with Higher Level 5 in Biology and Higher Level 5 in another science must be achieved on first sitting.
The resit policy for Widening Participation students is ABC.
For re-sit criteria of other qualifications, please contact the Admissions Team at meddent-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)
Peninsula Dental School uses the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) as an alternative entry route to A Levels. We are unable to consider previous degree study for this programme, other than through the routes outlined in the ‘Internal Transfer Options’ section below. Candidates holding degrees or without suitable A Levels should therefore sit the GAMSAT to meet the entry criteria. Please note that although the GAMSAT is called a graduate admissions test, you do not need to be a graduate to sit the GAMSAT or apply with this qualification.
GAMSAT assesses your academic aptitude for the study of dentistry. Results from the test are the only academic qualification that will affect the shortlisting process and previous qualifications will not be considered. The results are valid for 2 years but must be sat by September in the year of application at the latest.
GAMSAT will take 4.16 hours with a written communication section taken separately, which should be approximately 1.5 hours. It assesses your reasoning in Humanities, Social Science, Biological Science, Physical Science and Written Communication. As this test only assesses academic aptitude, if you're successful you'll still need to show us at interview that you have the appropriate personal qualities to train and practise as a doctor.
If you'd like to know more or to register for the test, please visit the GAMSAT website.
Below are examples of the score thresholds applied in previous admissions cycles. We are unable to set the GAMSAT threshold in advance of the application deadline, instead all GAMSAT applicants are ranked based on scores achieved.
2019 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 50
Section 2: 54
Section 3: 52
Overall: 56
2020 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 49
Section 2: 56
Section 3: 49
Overall: 54
2021 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 54
Section 2: 57
Section 3: 49
Overall: 56
2022 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 50
Section 2: 54
Section 3: 50
Overall: 52
2023 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 50
Section 2: 50
Section 3: 51
Overall: 55
2024 Entry Section and Overall Scores
Section 1: 51
Section 2: 54
Section 3: 49
Overall: 52
Please note that if you have already completed a degree, you will be unable to access a second student loan through Student Finance England. As such, within the conditions of your offer you will be required to provide evidence that you have funds available to cover tuition costs for the full duration of the programme.

Internal transfer options
The University of Plymouth offers its students the opportunity to apply for this course through three additional routes.
Stage One Transfer from Biomedical Science or Human Biosciences
In order to apply through this route, you will need to be enrolled on stage one of BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science or BSc (Hons) Human Biosciences. Applications should be made via UCAS by the 15th October annually. Successful candidates commence study of BDS from stage one.
The following criteria is applied for stage one transfer applicants:
  • Applicants must achieve AAB at A Level to include A in Biology and A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology
  • International Baccalaureate: 35 points overall with Higher Level 6 in Biology and Higher Level 6 in another science (equivalent to AAB at A Level)
  • A minimum of 70% average across all Year 1 degree modules
  • An interview process is required
This is a competitive route into our Dentistry degree and is not guaranteed to any candidate. We are able to interview 20 candidates between Medicine and Dentistry and offer places to a total of 10 individuals across the programmes.
Stage one of degrees studied elsewhere will not be considered.
Graduate Entry – School of Biomedical Science
We are able to consider graduates from any of the University of Plymouth School of Biomedical Science for entry onto stage one of the BDS programme. This route is valid for two years after graduation and all applications must be made via UCAS.
The following criteria is applied for graduate entry:
  • Applicants must have achieved or be predicted to achieve a first (70%) or higher in a University of Plymouth School of Biomedical Science programme
Applicants from this route must successfully complete an interview process prior to being offered a place.
Degrees completed outside of the University of Plymouth will not be considered, instead applicants are encourage to sit the GAMSAT.
Please note that if you have already completed a degree, you may not be eligible for a second student loan – please contact Student Finance England for advice. As such, within the conditions of your offer you will be required to provide evidence that you have funds available to cover tuition costs for the full duration of the programme.

Selection and admissions process
Applications should be made through UCAS by the published deadline. This is typically the 15th October. You can apply to no more than four of the same clinical course choice, so although you cannot apply for five medical courses, four medical courses and one dental course would be permitted. Further information on this is available through the UCAS website. You may also wish to consider an alternative course such as Biomedical Science or Human Biosciences as your fifth choice.
All decisions on applications are made by the Admissions Advisory Panel, which consists of academics, clinicians and senior members of the administrative team.
The University of Plymouth Medicine and Dentistry Admissions Team process applications as follows:
1. Shortlisting for interview– Applicants are considered for interview based on relevant academic qualifications alone. We do not currently consider personal statements or work experience when selecting for interview
The Admissions Advisory Panel consider many factors when choosing who will be invited to attend an interview, including the number of places available on the course and the number of applications received, alongside the academic profiles of all of our applicants
2. Interview – Successful applicants are invited to attend an interview process. We use Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) as the format for our interviews, and full details can be found here.
Following interviews, candidates are ranked based on the score achieved and the top performing applicants are offered a place on the course
3. Offer – Offers are made via UCAS. Within all offers, candidates are required to complete a series of health and police checks, full details of which are communicated to firm offer holders by the Admissions Team.
Practising as a dentist requires the highest standards and we take seriously our commitment to only enrol and teach students with the integrity required of the profession. Full details can be found on our Student Conduct and Fitness to Practise page.

Frequently asked questions
Dentistry is an incredibly competitive course. What are my chances of being offered a place?
It is difficult for us to confirm what percentage of applicants will be accepted as the number of applications we receive changes year to year.
For our dental programme, we have 58 places, including 2 places for international students.
Application statistics for 2024 can be found below:
Number of Places: 58
Applications for 2024: 888
Number of applicants interviewed: 425
Number of offers made: 121
I am unable to obtain predicted grades for my qualifications. Will my application still be considered?
We are unable to consider any applicant who cannot provide predicted grades for pending qualifications.
Do you consider late applications?
We are unable to consider any applications that are received by UCAS after the deadline, which is typically 18:00 (GMT) on the 15th October annually. To ensure your application is considered, please do not leave it until the last minute to apply, as you will need to allow time for your school or college to add your reference and officially submit your application.
If you applied on time but changed your mind about your university choices, we will consider your application assuming you are within the 14 day cooling off period set by UCAS and your application was submitted prior to the deadline.
I will be turning 18 after the course has commenced. Will my application be considered?
For insurance purposes, we are unable to send any student who is under the age of 18 on placement. Placements begin very early into the school year, so we will be unable to enrol any candidate who has not turned 18 prior to the induction period finishing. We will still consider your application, but you would be offered deferred entry if successful.
Do you consider transfers from other dental programmes?
We are unable to consider any transfers, or degree study from any university other than the University of Plymouth.
When will interviews take place?
Interviews typically take place between December and February. You will be given the opportunity to choose your preferred interview date through our online booking system, and we endeavour to provide as much notice of interview dates as possible.
Where will interviews take place?
We will be completing all interviews in the 2024 admissions cycle online via zoom.
I have personal issues that I am worried could have affected my interview/exam performance. Do you consider extenuating circumstances?
Whilst we sympathise with the unfortunate situation you have experienced, in the interest of fairness to all our applicants we are unable to consider any extenuating circumstances at any stage of the admissions process.
Will you have places available through Clearing?
Although we very rarely have places available through Clearing, you are more than welcome to call us from early August to check if there are places available.
I have been given an offer but I am worried that I will not meet the academic criteria. What will happen if I don’t achieve the required grades?
We understand that applying for university and sitting exams is an incredibly stressful time. We will be unable to confirm whether we can accept your application if you do not meet the required grades until A Level results day. At this point, we will know how all of our applicants have performed and the Admissions Advisory Panel will advise whether reduced grades will be considered.
While we have softened on entry requirements in the past, there is no guarantee that this will be the case.